Small diameter, actively deflectable, flexible ureteropyeloscopy

PURPOSE: We studied and developed ureteroscopic technique and instrumentation beyond our initial experience with small diameter, actively deflectable, flexible ureteropyeloscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Flexible ureteropyeloscopy was performed at 2 university centers in 492 consecutive patients. Endoscope designs and development were based on strict specifications, including 8F or less tip diameter, 3.6F or greater working channel, 2-way active tip deflection and secondary deflection for lower pole intrarenal access. Flexible ureteroscopes manufactured by 5 companies were studied through various prototypic steps and surgical technique. Complementary accessories were developed for specific treatments, including endoscopic lithotripsy, management of urothelial lesions, treatment of upper urinary tract obstruction (that is strictures) and percutaneous access with ureteroscopic assistance in select complex cases. RESULTS: A total of 584 procedures were performed with the small diameter, actively deflectable, flexible ureteroscopes. Flexible ureteropyeloscopic access was always preformed over a working guide wire without an operative sheath. In addition, the 10F dual lumen catheter was the primary device used to obtain 2 guide wires (working and safety), and gently and minimally dilate the intramural segment. Larger dilators were required in only 12% of procedures. The entire intrarenal collecting system was accessed in 94% of cases with lower pole access requiring secondary or passive deflection in 60% of procedures. Endoscopic lithotripsy was the most common procedure performed in this series (303, 52%). Small diameter, flexible ureteroscopy and holmium laser lithotripsy were successful in 97% of patients with ureteral and 79% with intrarenal calculi. When a 2-stage ureteropyeloscopy procedure was used for large upper urinary tract calculi, the success rate for intrarenal calculi increased to 91%. Endoscopic biopsy and treatment of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma were performed in 101 procedures (17%), while retrograde ureteroscopic incision for stricture disease was performed in 36 (6%). The overall major complication rate was less than 1% and there were no ureteral perforations, avulsions, sepsis or deaths. These new endoscopes were more fragile than larger predecessors but a maximum of 30 procedures were performed between interval repair. CONCLUSIONS: Small diameter, actively deflectable, flexible ureteropyeloscopy facilitates various minimally invasive endoscopic therapies. Although this class of endoscope has greater fragility, it is easy to use and has broadened the therapeutic range of ureteroscopic treatment to include intrarenal lesions.     

p53 and bcl-2 immunohistochemical alterations in prostate cancer treated with radiation therapy

PURPOSE: Upper urinary tract calculi that are too large to treat with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy are most commonly cleared with percutaneous endoscopic techniques. In a select group of patients who were poor candidates for percutaneous nephrostolithotomy we used retrograde endoscopic lithotripsy, and define the safety and efficacy of this modality in treating large, noninfectious stone burdens (2 cm. or greater). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 51 patients with 66 large (2 cm. or greater) upper urinary tract stones were chosen for retrograde ureteroscopic surgery. Many of these patients had co-morbid conditions that precluded or complicated standard percutaneous treatment. Lithotripsy was based on the application of small diameter fiberoptic ureteroscopes and the holmium laser lithotriptor. Specifically, the 200 micro. laser fiber was used when lower pole renal access was required. Successful therapy was defined as total fragmentation of a stone burden with creation of fine sand and 2 mm. or smaller debris. Second look endoscopy was commonly performed in select patients with large branched calculi or stone burdens in excess of 3 cm. to rule out and treat large residual fragments. RESULTS: Of 51 patients 48 were treated solely in a retrograde ureteroscopic manner and in 3 either failure of lower pole access or infectious material encountered on initial endoscopy led to conversion to more standard percutaneous techniques. In 34 of 45 renal (76%), and 20 of 21 ureteral (95%) complete ureteroscopic fragmentation of the respective stone burden was accomplished after a single session. Second look endoscopy defined significant residual fragments requiring additional endoscopic lithotripsy in 8 of 15 large renal (53%) and 1 of 3 complex ureteral stone burdens. Success, that is complete pulverization of the stone burden to fine dust and small 2 mm. fragments, increased to 41 of 45 renal (91%) and all 21 ureteral calculi after these second look procedures. One patient required a third session to treat completely an exceptionally large (6 cm.) renal stone burden composed of pure cystine, thus increasing the overall success rate for renal calculi to 93%. Six-month followup data were available for 25 patients with large calculi treated ureteroscopically, of whom 15 (60%) had completely clear imaging, 6 (24%) had small lower pole debris that was decreasing on serial imaging and 4 (16%) had new stone growth which was, in part, related either to uncorrectable metabolic disorders or chronic renal scarring and urinary stasis. There were no intraoperative complications. Three postoperative complications included pyelonephritis in 1 patient, prostatic bleeding in 1 on anticoagulant therapy and a cerebral vascular accident 24 hours after the procedure in 1 with severe vascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: Large and complex upper urinary tract calculi can be addressed safely and efficiently with retrograde endoscopic techniques.     

Percutaneous cystolithotomy with endotracheal tube tract dilation after urinary tract reconstruction

PURPOSE: The effectiveness of a percutaneous approach to intact removal of large calculi from the urinary reservoir after urinary tract reconstruction was reviewed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The original site of the reservoir drainage tube was used for percutaneous access. After dilation of the tract to 34F a number 10 endotracheal tube was advanced through the tract, and the balloon (diameter up to 43 mm.) was inflated. The rigid nephroscope was then passed through the tract and calculi were removed intact without the need for ultrasonic or electrohydraulic lithotripsy. RESULTS: Removal of single or multiple reservoir calculi attempted in 4 patients was successful in 3. Patients were discharged home within 2 days. CONCLUSIONS: The technique of over dilation of the percutaneous tract allows removal of multiple large calculi in select patients without the need for lithotripsy.     

Late functional outcome after reconstruction of the upper aerodigestive tract with free transplanted microvascular anastomosed jejunum

Since 1983, 90 autologous jejunal transplantations for reconstruction of the upper digestive tract have been performed in 89 patients (9 females, 80 males, average age 56.3 years). 73 patients were operated primarily, in 16 patients a recurrent tumor had been treated. One patient received a second jejunal graft after necrosis. In these heterogenous patients, the primary tumor was located in the hypopharynx 48 times, in the larynx 21 times, in the oropharynx 19 times and twice in the oral cavity. There was nearly always tumor stage III or IV without distant metastases. Following locoregional tumor resection, speech restoration was achieved 35 times by a siphon-like tube, and the upper digestive tract was reconstructed using a patch 18 times and by a tube 28 times. A combination of tube or patch with a siphon-like tube was employed 9 times. In only two of 16 patients with recurrent tumor, speech reconstruction was performed, in the other 14, the upper digestive tract was reconstructed. In those patients, in whom speech reconstruction (by siphon tube or by combination with tube/patch) was intended, this was achieved in 81.5%. Successful functional reconstruction of the upper digestive tract (by patch, tube, combination) could be achieved in about 60% of these patients.     

Anxiogenic-like effects of spontaneous and naloxone-precipitated opiate withdrawal in the elevated plus-maze

PURPOSE: Endopyelotomy has become the initial treatment of choice for ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Debate persists regarding the preferred approach (percutaneous or ureteroscopic) and the need for preoperative stenting. We review our experience with ureteroscopic endopyelotomy without preoperative stenting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We treated 21 patients a mean of 37 years old who had ureteropelvic junction obstruction with ureteroscopy and without preoperative stenting. Endoluminal ultrasound was performed in all cases for imaging the periureteral anatomy. A minimum of 1 year of followup is available in all cases. Success was defined as pain-free status with resolution of obstruction on diuretic renal scintigraphy. RESULTS: Success was achieved in 17 of 21 patients (81%). Complications included stent irritation, postoperative urinary tract infection and stent displacement requiring repositioning in 1 case each. Crossing vessels in 57% of the patients affected success (67 versus 100% in those with and without crossing vessels, respectively). No patient had significant hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: Ureteroscopic endopyelotomy without preoperative stenting is effective and safe for ureteropelvic junction obstruction.     

Diet supplemented with yoghurt or milk fermented by Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 stimulates growth and brush-border enzyme activities in mouse small intestine

Adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapeutic principles have in recent years received increasing attention in the management of patients with carcinoma of the upper gastrointestinal tract. A series of randomized prospective trials has demonstrated that adjuvant postoperative radiation or chemotherapy does not result in a convincing survival advantage after complete tumor resection in gastric or esophageal cancer. The available data on the role of neoadjuvant preoperative therapy in these patients as yet permit no conclusion. While neoadjuvant therapy may reduce the tumor mass in a substantial portion of patients, a series of randomized controlled trials has shown that, compared to primary resection, a multimodal approach does not result in a survival benefit in patients with loco-regional, i.e. potentially resectable, tumors. In contrast, in patients with locally advanced tumors, i.e. tumors for which complete removal with primary surgery appears unlikely, neoadjuvant therapy increases the chance for complete tumor resection on subsequent surgery. However, only patients with objective histopathologic response to preoperative therapy appear to benefit from this approach. Compared to preoperative chemotherapy alone, combined radio-chemotherapy increases the rate of response, particularly in squamous cell esophageal cancer, but may also increase postoperative morbidity and mortality. Neoadjuvant therapy should therefore currently only be performed in experienced centers within the context of prospective clinical trials. The identification of factors that would allow prediction of response to neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy is the focus of ongoing studies.     

Six cases of upper urinary tract diseases including tumors and inflammatory lesions which suggest the significance of urine cytology in preoperative diagnosis

We present six cases of upper urinary tract diseases including tumors and inflammatory lesions in which the urine cytology rather than the radiological examinations was useful for their preoperative diagnoses. Three of the six cases had malignant diseases and the others had benign diseases. In all cases preoperative results of urine cytology were identical to histopathological findings of resected specimens; the cases with positive findings in urine cytology had ureter cancers and those with negative findings had benign diseases. Primary CIS of upper urinary tract was found in two of six cases, which is still uncommon in Japan. Since it is very difficult to make a preoperative diagnosis of primary CIS by radiological examinations, the present study showed that urine cytology is useful for its preoperative diagnosis. Recently endoscopic techniques for the diagnosis of upper urinary tract tumors are in clinical use. The ureteroscopic biopsy is recommended for the case in which the diagnosis using urine cytology is difficult.     

Imaging and radiologic management of upper urinary tract infections

Most infections of the upper urinary tract respond promptly to antibiotic therapy and imaging is not necessary. Patients with urinary obstruction, diabetes, or immunocompromise are more likely to develop complicated infection, abscess, or have unusual organisms. Chronic granulomatous processes involving the kidney are usually related to recurrent bacterial infections. Again, stone disease or obstruction is often an underlying problem. In those patients who do not respond promptly to treatment or have a more complicated clinical picture, imaging can assess the severity and extent of disease. CT scan is the study of choice for diagnostic evaluation in these patients and directs percutaneous intervention when appropriate. Placement of drainage catheters is often curative but also may allow the patient to stabilize until surgical treatment is accomplished. One exception is the diagnosis of pyonephrosis, which may be accomplished more easily by ultrasound. In these cases, PCN placement is generally needed and is performed under fluoroscopic guidance. Ultimately, however, definitive surgical intervention often is needed to relieve the underlying obstruction.     

Translumbar placement of inferior vena caval catheters: a solution for challenging hemodialysis access

Access to the central venous circulation for hemodialysis has traditionally been achieved via the subclavian or jugular venous routes. With ongoing improvements in medical management, many hemodialysis recipients develop exhaustion of these routes and require alternative means of central venous access. Inferior vena caval (IVC) catheters have been placed with a percutaneous translumbar approach to allow central venous access for chemotherapy, harvesting of stem cells, and total parenteral nutrition. Translumbar placement of IVC catheters has become accepted by some as a useful and reliable alternative in patients who require long-term hemodialysis but have exhausted traditional access sites. IVC catheters have been placed in patients with IVC filters, and IVC filters have been placed in patients with IVC catheters. Complications include those associated with central venous catheters, for example, sepsis, fibrin sheaths, and thrombosis. A complication specific to placement of IVC hemodialysis catheters is migration of the catheter into the subcutaneous soft tissues, retroperitoneum, or iliac veins. Translumbar placement of IVC catheters is performed only in patients considered to have few or no other medical options and is not intended as a primary means of central venous access.     

Three cases of Pasteurella multocida infection in the respiratory tract

Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida) is well recognized as "normal flora" in the upper respiratory tract of cats, dogs and other animals. Recently, various infections due to P. multocida in human have been noted as pulmonary infections in the patients with chronic pulmonary diseases as well as skin abscesses or septicemia after an animal bite or scratch. We report here three cases of respiratory tract infections caused by P. multocida. The first two patients had acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis caused by P. multocida and the other patients with pulmonary emphysema developed pneumonia. These three patients improved by antibiotic therapy. In Japan, P. multocida respiratory tract infection is rare, but it may become more common in the future. Therefore, it seems to be important to take this pathogen into consideration in the management of chronic lung disease.     

Ureteroscopic management of intrarenal calculi

PURPOSE: To determine its potential role in stone therapy, we evaluated our experience with the ureteroscopic removal of intrarenal calculi in 100 patients. We review the indications, techniques, stone-free and overall success rates, and complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 1994 to December 1996 ureteroscopic stone removal was attempted in 100 patients a mean of 52 years old who had renal calculi. Indications for treatment included concurrent ureteral stones in 56 cases, and failed extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, medical or percutaneous management as well as obesity and anatomical anomalies. There were 2 or more calculi in the affected kidney in 68 patients and stones greater than 6 mm. in 67. Treatment of intrarenal calculi was performed with flexible ureteroscopes, a laser or electrohydraulic lithotriptor and endoscopic graspers. The number and size of calculi were noted in each patient. Stone-free and overall success rates defined as 1 residual fragment less than 3 mm. were noted at 1 and 3-month followup visits. RESULTS: The overall success rate was 89%. Ureteroscopic treatment of intrarenal calculi resulted in a 77% stone-free rate. Of the 23 patients with residual calculi 12 (52%) had a single residual fragment less than 3 mm. The targeted stone was removed or fragmented in 98 patients (98%) and no ureteral calculi remained postoperatively. As expected, the number and size of the original stones inversely correlated with the success rate. There were no intraoperative complications, and only 3 urinary tract infections and 3 fevers were noted postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: The use of smaller diameter ureteroscopes, better working instruments and more effective lithotriptors allow calculi in all parts of the collecting system to be engaged and treated. Success rates throughout the whole collecting system are comparable to if not better than those of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and percutaneous approaches.     

Percutaneous transhepatic endoscopic electrohydraulic lithotripsy of biliary tract calculi after orthotopic liver transplantation

The development of biliary tract calculi after orthotopic liver transplantation presents a unique clinical problem. Previously described techniques for removing biliary stones by shock wave lithotripsy, litholytic therapy with oral bile acids, and endoscopic mechanical extraction may be ineffective or contraindicated in liver transplant patients. For this reason, percutaneous transhepatic electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) was performed using an 11 French flexible ureteroscope in two pediatric patients who developed biliary tract calculi following orthotopic liver transplant. There were no complications and postoperative follow-up over 4 years has been uneventful. To our knowledge, these represent the first reported cases of percutaneous transhepatic endoscopic EHL to fragment biliary tract stones in a transplanted liver, which for us has been a safe and effective therapeutic option.     

A method for radiologic-assisted gastrostomy when percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is contraindicated

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has been established as a faster and safer procedure than open surgical gastrostomy. It cannot be done, however, for many patients with partially obstructing pharyngeal or esophageal carcinoma, previous gastrectomy, upper abdominal surgery, or bowel distension from distal obstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We attempted percutaneous radiologic-assisted gastrostomy (RAG) in 231 patients referred for gastrostomy, 38 of whom had a relative contraindication for PEG. The procedure involves passing, under radiologic guidance, an orogastric inflation tube that contains a snare. We used a 5-inch long, 18-gauge needle to transabdominally insert a wire into the stomach, avoiding loops of bowel visualized by air contrast. Retrieving the transabdominal wire by snare allowed retrograde passage of the gastrostomy tube as done in standard PEG. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in 230 of 231 cases, including 37 of the 38 patients with contraindications. We could not gain gastric access in 1 patient with a 75% gastrectomy. Overall, 6 patients developed complications and 1 died. There was no procedure-related morbidity or mortality in the patients with contraindications to PEG who underwent successful RAG. Subsequent laparotomy indicated tube passage through the liver in 2 of these cases and small bowel mesentery in 1 case without clinical problems. We performed a percutaneous jejunostomy in the efferent limb of the gastrojejunostomy in 1 patient with a previous gastrectomy. CONCLUSION: The snare technique is simpler and faster than the usual radiologic gastropexy technique, and safer than an endoscopic procedure. It has become our procedure of choice for gaining gastric access.     

The biological activity of human monoclonal IgG anti-D is reduced by beta-galactosidase treatment

In the present review, the possibilities of ergometric and pharmacological "intervention" with a view to improving the validity of scintirenography are reported. Exercise renography at present does not have a defined role in clinical routine. This procedure, however, gives additional information in hypertensive patients with respect to renal ischemia. Captopril scintirenography can be recommended as a screening test for renovascular hypertension. Furosemide-"intervention" differentiates between obstructive uropathy and dilatation of renal collecting system without obstruction. This is true especially in newborns with congenital abnormalities of the upper urinary tract, in order to stratify these young patients for surgical or conservative treatment.     

Severe complications following a "barium swallow" investigation for dysphagia

OBJECTIVE: To highlight the risks of investigation of patients with swallowing disorders by "barium swallow", when the disorders may arise from dysfunction of the upper swallowing tract. CLINICAL FEATURES: An 81-year-old Italian woman presented to her local doctor with a history of dysphagia of five days' duration. A barium swallow resulted in aspiration of a large amount of barium into the right main bronchus, causing severe problems. After a period of intensive respiratory care including intubation and continuous positive airway pressure, she recovered sufficiently to be referred to a rehabilitation unit. She had mild hemiplegia but severe dysphagia, secondary to a brain stem infarct. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Persisting severe dysphagia was confirmed, with extreme risk of aspiration. The patient underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and was discharged to live independently, but requiring long-term gastrostomy feeding. CONCLUSION: When a patient presents with dysphagia, great care should be taken to exclude upper tract dysfunction with its attendant risk of aspiration, generally by referral to a centre or consultant with expertise in this area, before ordering or carrying out investigations appropriate to disorders of the lower tract.     

Intermediate-risk endometrial cancer. A management approach

In the United States, endometrial cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed tumor of the female genital tract. The Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) has previously included patients with disease confined to the uterus and moderately or poorly differentiated tumors that invade at least half the myometrium in protocols designed for "intermediate levels of risk". Although such patients are ideally staged surgically, the role of adjuvant therapies such as postoperative pelvic irradiation remains unclear. This report offers a management approach for these women based on opportunities for enhanced local control with an acceptable level of morbidity according to supportive data from the available literature.     

Leiomyosarcoma of the small intestine and the colorectum. A case contribution

Smooth muscle tumors of the alimentary tract are uncommon. A retrospective study was made of 7 patients treated for leiomyosarcoma of the small and large bowel to identify prognostic factors that influence results. The symptoms associated with these tumors varied according to the anatomic sites of the lesions and the position of the growth in relation to the intestinal lumen but the most common presenting clinical signs are bleeding or obstruction. The differential diagnosis between benign and malignant smooth muscle tumors is sometimes quite difficult. Clinical behavior of the myosarcomas of the gastrointestinal tract can be predicted to a large extent by the site of the tumor, the presence or absence of invasion of adjacent vital organs, and the histopathologic grade of malignancy. Although the mitotic activity of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor remains the most critical prognostic factor, tumors have been seen to recur locally and to metastasize even with rare or absent mitotic figures. Further studies are needed to pinpoint the factors that may be correlated to the prognosis.     

Surgical options for obstructive sleep apnea

The pathology associated with obstructive sleep apnea is cumulative and progressive. When patients fail to improve with continuous nasal airway pressure or other, less-invasive treatments, surgery should be considered. The initial approach to the surgical patient is identification of all areas of potential obstruction. There are often several sites of obstruction, which can occur anywhere in the upper respiratory tract. One or more procedures may be needed to address these areas. The objective of surgery is to relieve these obstructing sites without interfering with the normal functionality of the upper airway.     

Limitations of serodiagnosis in chlamydial genital tract infections

Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis results in the formation of a variety of antibodies with group, species, subspecies and serovarspecificity. Sera from patients with genital tract infections often show broad reactivity in serological tests. This may be due to the presence of cross-reacting antibodies, repeated infections by different serotypes or concurrent genital and respiratory infections by different chlamydial species. Other factors contributing to difficulties in interpretation include how antibody titres in acute mucosal infections, the occurrence of latent infections and reactivations, and the persistence of IgG which does not allow the differentiation of past from current infections. For these reasons, serology alone is inadequate for the diagnosis of uncomplicated lower genital tract infections. In upper genital tract infections, however, because of difficulties with sampling from the infected site, a positive serology may be the only indications of chlamydial involvement. This paper discusses the principles of chlamydial antibody assays, difficulties with their interpretation and their role in the diagnosis of upper and lower genital tract infections.     

Ureteroscopic biopsy: technique and specimen preparation

Because tissue samples obtained ureteroscopically are small, the techniques for biopsy and for handling and processing the samples are crucial. Our aim is to describe the biopsy technique in great detail so other centers can reproduce it. Patients were evaluated by retrograde ureteropyelography and ureteroscopy for diagnosis. The entire collecting system was examined using a combination of small-diameter rigid and flexible ureteroscopes. Samples were retrieved by aspiration, saline lavage, or, when possible, biopsy of visible tumor by a basket or cup forceps. Multiple samples were obtained from all patients. Fresh specimens were hand delivered to the cytopathology laboratory, where they were evaluated with the cytospin technique. A cell block was prepared whenever there was any visible tissue in the sample. Since we have practiced this technique of handling specimens, our ability to diagnose and grade upper tract neoplasms ureteroscopically has improved markedly. Use of this technique can improve the diagnostic accuracy of ureteroscopic biopsy.